It has long been a practice of 'alternative medicine' in the Middle East to consume camel urine as a remedy for various ailments. The milk of camels has also been consumed for the same reason, but this practice has been faced with much less scrutiny in popular discourse surrounding Islam. The practice, at least among the Muslims specifically, has its basis in a narrative (ḥadīth) of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) mentioned in several sources wherein he prescribes this practice to his followers due to its perceived medical benefits (see al-Bukhārī, 76, no. 9; al-Tirmiḍī, 28, no. 2177; Ibn Māja, 31, no. 3632; al-Nasāʾī, 37, no. 59; Muslim, 28, no. 13). This is also recorded by Ibn Isḥāq in his Sīra (see the section dealing with the expedition of Kurz b. Jābir). In addition, the Qur'ān speaks of the miraculous nature of the camel and lists it as one of the signs of Allāh (ﷻ): “Then do they not look at the camels — how they are created?” (88:17). Ibn Kathir (raḥimahullāh) comments on this verse in his Tafsīr, saying, “Indeed it is an amazing creation [...] It is eaten, benefit is derived from its hair, and its milk is drunk.” The renowned Muslim polymath Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna) also prescribed camel urine for the treatment of dandruff and diseases of the nose and spleen (al-Qānūn, Book II, Discourse 2, 6:51).
We are thus left with the question of whether there is any real basis for the belief that camel urine has any use as a medical treatment. If we go simply by an Islamic standard, then the answer is in the affirmative, since the report is authentic and recorded in multiple classical sources. On the basis of chain (isnād) criticism alone, it is undoubtable that this idea has been authentically attributed to the Prophet, whose word we cannot doubt as Muslims, but is there there any scientific evidence for this statement? Well, let's look at what the medical literature says:
We are thus left with the question of whether there is any real basis for the belief that camel urine has any use as a medical treatment. If we go simply by an Islamic standard, then the answer is in the affirmative, since the report is authentic and recorded in multiple classical sources. On the basis of chain (isnād) criticism alone, it is undoubtable that this idea has been authentically attributed to the Prophet, whose word we cannot doubt as Muslims, but is there there any scientific evidence for this statement? Well, let's look at what the medical literature says:
- In a study done on rats, camel urine has been demonstrated to have gastroprotective and ulcer-healing properties. In this study, it was also deemed as safe and non-toxic (Hu, et. al. 2017).
- An analysis of camel urine has shown it to "possess antiplatelet activity and anti-cancer activity" not demonstrated in other types of urine (Ahamad, et. al. 2017).
- In another study, it has demonstrated “a potential to be further developed as an anticancer agent for cancer treatment,” particularly for the treatment of breast cancer (Romli, et. al. 2017).
- One study has shown that “many of the camel urinary proteins could be involved in various stress and immune responses, and some may have antimicrobial activities” (Alhaider, et. al. 2012).
- Another study concluded that camel urine “has specific and efficient anti-cancer and potent immune-modulator properties” (Al-Yousef, et. al. 2012).
- Research has also shown camel urine to possess antiplatelet activity (Alhaidar, et. al. 2011). One of the uses of aspirin is as an antiplatelet drug.
- Testing has demonstrated that “all types of camel, but not bovine, urines differentially inhibited the induction of Cyp1a1 gene expression by TCDD, the most potent Cyp1a1 inducer and known carcinogenic chemical” (Alhaider, et. al. 2011), confirming the traditional belief in the ability of camel urine to treat cancer.
- One study showed that “Camel urine treatment was found to cause a significant cytotoxic effect in the bone marrow cells of mice. This cytotoxicity at higher doses was comparable with that of standard drug cyclophosphamide (CP). However, unlike CP, the camel urine treatment failed to induce any clastogenicity” (al-Harbi, et. al. 1996). This shows the potential of camel urine as a treatment for cancer. CP is a drug used for treating cancer (by killing cancer cells) due to its cytotoxic properties. However, unlike CP, camel urine does not induce the disruption or breakage of chromosomes (clastogenicity).
- The results of another study indicated that “camel urine may contain bioactive agents capable of preventing CCL4-induced hepatic and pancreatic islet lesions” (Al Neyadi, et. al 2012).